Comsewogue High School Virtual Enterprise (VE) students thrived at this year’s Youth Business Summit, ranking sixth place in the National Business Plan Competition out of 1,500 teams across 550 schools from seven different countries. Competing against more than 30,000 students, Comsewogue’s student firm PickleTek demonstrated remarkable business acumen, perseverance, and innovation as they advanced through five rounds of intense competition to secure a sixth-place finish. Comsewogue High School was one of only two Long Island schools to rank in the top eight at the national competition at the Javits Center in New York City. Comsewogue also saw three additional Virtual Enterprise teams advance to the national competition, including the firms ReLeaf, DormReform and ProtectU.

“The dedication, teamwork, and creativity shown by our VE students throughout this journey have been nothing short of exceptional,” said Virtual Enterprise Teacher Anthony Ketterer. “To have all four of our firms reach the National Rounds of Competition is a testament to the hard work of these students and the incredible support they receive from one another. Ranking sixth in the nation is an outstanding accomplishment, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievement.”

The students behind PickleTek developed the firm to bring innovative AI court development and resources to the sport of pickle ball. They began their journey at the Long Island regional competition before advancing to the Northeast regionals and, ultimately, presenting their business plan among the top 40 firms at the national competition. PickleTek’s team members include Joy Chen, Brady Pesce, Nicholas Mattheus Villamil, Mueez Kamran, and Hermione Granger.

Comsewogue’s firms ReLeaf, DormReform, and ProtectU also had the opportunity to showcase their entrepreneurial skills and present their business, human resources and finance plans before judges, peers, and industry professionals on a national stage. Student Sophia Deja also earned a bronze medal at the national in the highly competitive Sales Pitch competition.

“It’s wonderful to see our virtual enterprise program become so highly competitive in such a short amount of time”, said District Administrator for Instructional Technology Dr. Don Heberer who also oversees the business department. “We didn’t have a business department six years ago. What we’ve been able to accomplish is a testament to the strength of the program we’ve built and it’s a reflection of our extraordinary teachers and students. We couldn’t be any prouder of them all. We are excited to see where we go next year!”

Students from across the country and abroad enter the National Business Plan Competition with projects designed to solve real-world problems and showcase innovative ideas. Comsewogue High School’s Virtual Enterprise program is part of a global network of student-run firms dedicated to providing young people with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the business world. Through hands-on experience, students create and manage real-world businesses, giving them a competitive edge in their future academic and professional pursuits.